


Sibling papers

by purplefox



Category: DCU (Comics)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Cleopatra Luthor, Gen, Oneshot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-28
Updated: 2020-06-28
Packaged: 2021-03-04 05:08:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,117
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24958150
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/purplefox/pseuds/purplefox
Summary: Kon knows who he is and he just found out he has a family... just as he is about to lose parts of it.
Relationships: Kon-El | Conner Kent & Lex Luthor
Comments: 1
Kudos: 38





	Sibling papers

Kon could say a lot of things but the honest truth was that the moment he got the mission he felt dread in his soul. He knew it was going to be bad. Tim had tried to give him a look. Kon knew he had just finished helping Tim dig his stupid head from out of his ass but, he wasn’t ready for this. Not this mission. Not these places. Not Lex Luthor.

He had just discovered his past. Kon was just getting used to knowing about both his fathers and trying to understand one of them. He wasn’t ready for a face to face. He wasn’t ready to lie and pretend. How the hell did Clark even begin to manage this nonsense? Because he didn’t think he could deal with this.

It was bad enough that things were getting too real in the Titans. Things they weren’t prepared to talk about or even deal with. The soulless statues that loomed in the caves. People, mistakes. It was a weight Kon didn’t think most of them were ready for. The ghosts of those that fell still lingered around them. The mistakes they did, the friends that they had lost, it was still heavy.

And Kon wasn’t ready for this. He had just found out who his other genetic donor was. He had just finished being devastated and appalled. He wasn’t ready but the world was not giving him a chance to absorb any of this. He didn’t have a single chance right now either and Kon- he needed at least five minutes to catch himself. Especially now, especially right now.

He wasn’t going to get used to the destruction. To the dead bodies. To the sight, the smell and everything that went with it. Kon could just tell. He was never going to be used to this. He swallowed as he tried to ignore the strong stench of blood. He was never going to get used to this. Ever.

And did it have to be a LexCorp building that he was sent to investigate? There were so many places and things that Kon could have been sent to look over and make certain no more invaders lingered. They had hit so many places and they had hit hard. Kon had winced at the sight of the place. The entire compound had been destroyed. Lex Luthor may assist the league from time to time but his people still kept the same protocols. Kon saw as many aliens as Lex’s people.

The further than he got into the place the more the places around the lab changed. Kon swallowed as he listened to heartbeats fade, as he inhaled the stench of blood and debris. He was never going to get used to this. Ever. It never got easy.

He could see faces that he recognized distantly the further into the labs that he got. Smashed cases, fallen bodies. Plenty of bodies. Debris here there and everywhere the further he got until Kon finally got to a door that had been ripped off sealed hinges. “What the hell did Luthor have in here?” Kon muttered before he stepped in.

He stepped into a world of purple and his heart plummeted. His first thought was Luthor’s personal quarters or something like that. There was so much purple and so many things around him that screamed comfort. In a smashed phase of course. Everything was destroyed and in the middle of the room was a body that took his breath.

He could hear the heartbeat, faint and faded but he could smell the blood too. Kon walked slowly to the girl before he knelt at her side. He had an inkling of who she was but when pain filled green eyes locked on his own he felt as though he would throw up.

“S-Superboy.” She murmured. She had dried blood around her lips. Her red hair was frazzled and in disarray as she lay on her back. Her chest to her waist was covered in blood. Kon sat and took her hand. It was cold. “The league is here?” She whispered.

“Are you Lex Luthor’s child?” He whispered and her eyes moved over his face before she nodded. “I need to get you out of here.” Somehow. Maybe he had enough time to-

“No time.” She said quietly and the acceptance in her gaze and voice almost made Kon buckle. “Cleo.” She choked and coughed. “My name is Cleopatra Luthor.” She coughed. “My Dad… is he okay?”

“Yeah.” Kon swallowed as a tear dripped down his nose.

“Outside this place.” She whispered. “Did you see a blonde woman? With a machine gun?” At Kon’s slow confused nod she sighed. “Is she dead?” He bit his lip and nodded and she closed her eyes. “I kn-new the one way they could breech the doors is if Charity was dead.” She whispered. “Dad’ll be sad.”

“Isn’t there a way-“ He could be put in a tube to heal. His genetics… were part hers. “Isn’t there a thing we can use to save you? I don’t think you’ll make it to the league.”

“I’m dying.” She said so simply and so softly Kon almost had to bend to hear. “I’m dying and I was dying before this. There is no saving. There is no cure.” Her eyes caught his before she smiled. “Dying next to the son of Superman… I don’t know how Dad will take that. He’s always.” Her eyes glazed in pain. “Always in denial over loss. Mom, my brothers. Superman. His memories.” She whispered. “Now me.”

“I-“ Kon swallowed. “I’m his kid too.” Her eyes darted to his own. “I’m his son. I’m Lex Luthor’s son too. they used him to make me.” Her mouth slackened before it weakly curved into a smile. “Isn’t there a way-“

“Too late.” She whispered before her hand shook as she raised it to Kon. Her fingers brushed back his hair weakly as she looked at him. “You have our eyes.” She whispered. “You should tell him. Tell Lex who- what you are. He can be…” She smiled. “Well… you know but he’s always good to family. He needs people to cling to. Me, Mercy and Hope. I’m…” A tear rolled down her cheek. “I always knew I wouldn’t live long. Weak body like Momma but Daddy.” She coughed. “He would do anything to keep me safe.” Her voice was softer. “Anything to save us but the genetic code… we were doomed. First my brothers. I lasted longer… I lasted this long. Long enough to see… he’ll be fine.” She whispered. “Kon-El.”

“Cleo.” Kon brought her hand up to his face. “I just met you. I just learned I had a sister!”

“He’s really good at keeping secrets.” Cleo whispered. “Can you tell him about Charity? I heard her fighting before they got in… tell him put her to rest close to Justice.” Her voice was weaker. “Tell him I love him.” Her lips curved up. “And that in the end… I wasn’t alone. My… big? Little? Who knows. My brother was here.” Her eyes were glazed as they slid away from him. “Luthors stay until the end. I just met you but… thank you Kon-El.” Her hand slackened in his grip and Kon’s breath caught as her heart stopped. He just learned he had a sister. To lose her.

X

“He’s… in there.” Clark said softly. “And remember Kon. You don’t have to do this.” He glanced at the door. “You don’t owe-“

“I held his daughter as she died.” Kon took a breath. “I think I do.” He could remember how it felt to have Clark and Tim coax him to release the girl that he had gathered into his arms and held. He clapped Clark on the back before he took a huge breath and stepped into the boardroom.

Lex Luthor had a glass of something strong in one hand as he stared out the window to the fake sights they had there. Kon watched the man for a few moments drinking in the sight of his father before Lex turned slowly as the door locked behind Kon.

“Kon-El Kent.” Lex Luthor said softly. He swirled the glass before he turned to face Kon. “Thank you.” His eyes were red and Kon felt his stomach dip. “For being with her. My greatest fear was having her be alone. Her mother… I didn’t make it back in time. Her brothers… I was in the custody of the league.” Lex bit out before he closed his eyes. “But… I saw her face. My little girl was smiling.”

“She told me to tell you who I am.” Kon swallowed as the man looked at him. “I’m not a clone… I have two parents. Kal-El and Lex Luthor. Your dna is in me.” The glass crashed to the ground and Kon knew for certain the man had no idea about him.

“How- Lionel.” Lex snarled as he slammed his hand against the glass. “Oh my god.” He whispered before he strode across the room. He gently cupped Kon’s face in his hands. “Good god it’s right there. Me… Clark.” He whispered. “Are you okay?”

“I-“ Kon swallowed. “No I’m not okay. I had nothing. I’m- I was nothing.” He corrected. “And I held my little sister as she died and… I feel like we could have been.” His eyes ached. “I felt like we could be a family you know?”

“Cleo was very loving.” Lex said softly. “Very sweet. Just like her mother but… I couldn’t find a cure.” He whispered. “All I could do was hide my loved ones. I couldn’t save them.” He closed his eyes before he took a few deep breaths. “But she guided you to me.” Lex cupped Kon’s chin and shook his head. “I made her worry too much.”

“I wanted to get to know her.” Kon whispered. “I’m tired of being too late of-“ Losing things and people but. “Part of me thinks that I’ll lose you too-“ Something niggled in his head. “Wait did you say you and Clark?” He demanded. “You know?”

“How could I not?” Amusement bloomed in Lex’s eyes. “I know it all. I know about Arthur, Bruce and Diana. John, Hal Barry.” He ticked off. “Certainly knew all the brats before they got in uniform and when they got promoted. I knew Clark.” He said softly. “When he was sixteen years old a terrible liar and clumsy as hell. Knowing isn’t hard. It’s the proving.” He tsked.

“You’re weird as hell.” Kon shook his head. “But… when… you know we aren’t ready to cry over a drop of a hat because you know.” He could still see her smile and hear her slowing heartbeat. “Can I get to know you?”

“Of course.” Lex smiled. “But… can I hold you? Right now you’re the last gift Cleo gave me. I thought I was alone.” He whispered as Kon hugged him. “I thought.” His breath hitched. “That I was completely alone.” He shuddered and Kon felt himself cry just as Lex began to do so. “Living on is hard but when you have something. Someone, you can see the sun through the storms.”

X

“They will be good for each other.” Bruce switched off the monitor and Clark had to fight the urge to switch it back on. “Did you know? About the children? The wife?” He questioned and Clark bit his lip.

“No but Lex’s always been good at hiding what he’s interested in from other people. I was just glad he had calmed down with the murderous fiancés for a bit.” He murmured as he glanced at the blank monitor. “Never thought for a moment that the reason was that he had a wife that wasn’t crazy.” And he had fallen back into old tricks after she died apparently. “Kon-El’s good for him. I think… he’ll keep him sane.”

Because Clark couldn’t. Not anymore. Not that he hadn’t tried. He wasn’t enough, after all the lies. All the fights. They could be cordial and maybe they could continue to be that way but Lex needed a family, a base and Clark couldn’t be that. He felt his heart clench as he thought of the teenager he had watched Kon carry out. A sweet little girl. Gone too soon. No chance to grow up, give Lex hell. One of Lex’s soldiers were gone too.

Some days the job was bloody and painful with loss all around. It was hard to focus on the good. So hard to focus on the good. Clark didn’t think there was much good left but he was fighting for it anyway.


End file.
